


All Those RESETs

by NYKevin



Series: The Myth of Pacifism [1]
Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Ambiguous/Open Ending, Gen, Short, Undertale Pacifist Route
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-17
Updated: 2020-02-17
Packaged: 2021-02-28 03:41:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 945
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22767196
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NYKevin/pseuds/NYKevin
Summary: Frisk realizes that you can't save someone who doesn't want to be saved. They decide to take an unconventional approach to the problem.
Relationships: Asriel Dreemurr & Frisk, Flowey & Frisk (Undertale)
Series: The Myth of Pacifism [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1637650
Kudos: 16





	All Those RESETs

I feel a sharp vibration from Chara's grave. For just a moment, I let myself believe that they've woken up, that everything is going to be all right. But no, that can't be. It must have been another human, falling down as Chara did before. 

A human. With a SOUL, presumably. That presents an intriguing opportunity. I surface in the little antechamber to the Ruins proper. Just in time, too. A child in a blue and maroon striped shirt rounds the corner after only a few seconds. 

“Howdy!” I call in the same sing-song voice I use on Papyrus. “I'm Flowey! Flowey the Flower!” 

The human sighs. “Hey, Asriel.” 

That name. How could they possibly know that name? No one has called me that since—no. It can't be Chara. They sound nothing like them, even if they are dressed similarly. 

“Who the heck are you?” I demand. 

The human sits down across from me, cross-legged. “Nobody you know. Not anymore, that is.” 

That can't be true. They must be lying. I would remember if a RESET had happened. Wouldn't I? I've never actually seen anyone else exercise that power. Maybe the only person who remembers is the one using it. But even so, this kid can't be any older than Chara was. That level of DT is not something you get by accident, not at that age. 

I leer at them. “You've gotta be bluffing! There's no way you have enough Determination to control time.” 

They raise an eyebrow. “Go ahead, try to RESET. It won't work.” 

As if I'd fall for that. They're trying to trick me. But... for what purpose? How would yet another RESET benefit this human? I'll have to watch them closely. 

I feel vibrations in the soil. The other is approaching. The one I used to call “mother.” She's running early. We'll have to continue this later. 

“I'll be watching you,” I reply. I burrow underground. 

I hear the muffled sound of her voice as she speaks to the human. Suddenly, I feel time rewinding, just like one of my own RESETs. I surface, and the human is standing there again. 

“So you were lying,” I reply. “I thought I would be able to remember RESETs, and this proves it!” 

They shake their head. “Before the RESET, you asked Chara to erase your memories, and they did.” 

“Chara is dead!” I shout at them. 

They nod sadly. “Yes, they are.” They frown. “But that's not why I'm here. Meet me at the other end of the Ruins, and we can talk some more.” 

I glare at them. “I have a better idea.” I surround their SOUL with a ring of bullets. “Die.” 

The human stares at me calmly as the bullets close in. Do they know something I don't? A fireball to my face answers that question soon enough. I dive underground, cursing my own stupidity. Of course she was going to come back. How could I forget so quickly? I'm so mad at myself, I forget to eavesdrop on their conversation. Oops. Nothing for it but to follow the human and see what happens. 

* * *

I watch as the human walks through the Ruins, befriending every monster in their path. This is definitely not the second coming of Chara. Not only are they being sickeningly sweet to everyone, but they're keeping up a complete poker face the whole time. They also seem preternaturally good at dodging, like they've had a lot of practice. Finally, they enter the other's house. The house I dare not approach, now that she's onto me. 

I consider their words as I wait. Suppose the human was lying. If I RESET now, and it actually works, what's the worst that could happen? I'd have to wait a few weeks to get back to the present. That'd be boring as heck, but I could put up with it. But would they come back? Maybe they wanted me to get them out of the mountain. To fix their mistake in falling down here. But that doesn't make sense. Whatever that ridiculous nonsense about Chara erasing memories was supposed to mean, this human has been through the Underground at least once before. That much is indisputable. But only seven humans passed through the Underground before this one, and none of their SOULs were of the right color, except for Chara's. The eighth human isn't Chara, so— 

Footfalls outside the house. I surface in a dark corner, and see her walking towards Chara's grave. So the human talked her down. I burrow and resurface in the last room of the Ruins, the mirror and counterpart to the room where we first met. 

The human arrives. They sit on the ground again. “By now, you must have questions, Asriel.” 

I quiz the human on their personal history. They claim to have gone through the Underground many times. They say that every time worked out the same, and now they're trying something different. 

“Different?” I ask. “Have you tried killing everyone? I find that's pretty different.” 

The human shakes their head. “No. This is more personal. About you.” 

“Me?” I reply automatically. “What do you want with me?” 

“I need you to be selfish,” they reply. “Selfish enough to want to live.” 

I frown. “Is this some kind of joke? I was going to kill you and take your SOUL, and you want me to be _more_ selfish?” 

“Not now. Later.” They stand up with a small smile. “You'll know it when the time comes.” They head for the exit. “Anyway, see you on the other side.” 

I watch as they walk through the great door out of the Ruins. 

“What.”


End file.
